Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1887-07-02
YALE AND HARVARD.
by Yale-The Crowd Who Witnessed
the Race Estimated at $1,000.
New LONDON. Conn July


race between the eight cared crews repres-
enting Yale and Harvard was rowed this
evening over the Thames river course from
Gales Ferry TO Winthrop Point and was won
by Yale by five and a half lengths. Official
time: Yale, % Sc; Harvard, %. .l03.
The attendance was unprecedented Thurs
day night Hotels and boarding houses were
filled and every train and steamboat brought
large dele cations. Every train from New
Haven was crowded An excursion train
late in the afternoon brought over 81 car
loads, besides which large crowds came over
on the steamer Elm City. The scenes along
the course from the start to the finish were
very striking. An observation train Con
tanned "a well packed cars. The grand stand
at the finish was crowded and the large steam
ers City of New York, Block Island and Elm
City took large crowds up the river. There
were 38 large steam and schooner yachts on
at least the mile course. The crowd who
saw the race is estimated at $4,000.
At 8 05 the referee signalled for the crews
and at II Harvard pushed of from the
float and padded over towards the start.
Yale was late and didn't leave the float till
7.lS Both crews padded to the referees
boat and were given their final instructions
sitter which they backed into position, Yale
This was Yale's vantage point but it proved
of little real benefit.
AT % the word was given, both crews
catching the water very quickly, Harvard
gaining a slight advantage. Both crews
started at SO stroke but after the first min
ute dropped to 33 or "a. Harvard gradually
drew away from Yale and in the first Sih of a
mile led by half length Both crews pulled
in excellent form and the excitement was in
tense. Yale's powerful stroke however soon
sent her shell up inch by inch until at the
half mile both boats, looking from the press
boat were bow and bow, though official time
gives Harvard lead of two seconds.
Harvards time here was 54 and 4ales
Sc. Both crews were pulling 10 fine form
and the oar movement of each crew being as
one man.
At the half mile Yale dropped her stroke
TO 80, Harvard pulling "a and 35. The ex-
hibition of rowing in this half (sscond) was
very fine. Both crews were putting IN their
best efforts, but Yales slow stroke proved
more effective and her boat crept slowly to
the front. and as they passed the mile in
s. 20 and %, Yale was just showing clear
water ahead of Harvards boat
The second half mile was the fastest Of the
race. Yale doing it in "a and Harvard 2.29
AS they neared the navy yard, Yale began to
forge ahead. Up to this time the race was
the most hotly contested ever rowed between
crews from these two colleges. OF the navy
yard Harvard spurted and made grand
effort to close the gap, but Yale responded
nobly and at the two mile flag had increased
her lead to length and half passing that
point in ll.O94, Harvard in IL l4t
At this point the race was practically set-
Valp form
Her powerful stroke sent the boat along at a
rattling gait. Harvard was also pulling in
good shape but its stroke seemed to have lost
its effectiveness.
In the six half mile Yale made an addition
al gain of seven and one half seconds, and
passed the three mile flag in IA IA. with a
lead of four lengths; Harvards time 1923.
1t began to look like a procession, especially
as in the seventh half added the fifth length
to her credit, doing the half in 5ld, to Har-
wards 2 541, and passing the three and one
half mile flag in 20 minutes TO Harvsrds
20l9.
In the last half mile Harvard made des
perate effort to lessen Ysles Lead but of lit
tie avail. Yale maintained the slow swinging
stroke, paying verv little attention to what
Harvard was doing and dashed across the
finish line in % So, an easy winner by four
or five lengths. Harvsrds time % 10.
As the Yale men stopped rowing, Gill, who
pulls No. 2, dropped from his seat exhausted
being overcome by the heat.
The betting was unusually heavy, over
$4,000 being held by the Crocker House pro-
prietors. and enough outside bets were made
to carry the amount over Sl5, 900. The Har
ward men who backed the crew on the strength
Of the phenomenal time made Monday after
noon, when they had the benefit of three feet
Of freshet, were very badly bitten.
New HAVEN, Conn, July |.
Never since the foundation of Yale College
has there occurred such celebration of a
college athletic victory as occurred in this
city tonight. The news OF Yale's victory
reached here at 7.50 and in less than ten
minutes the town was ablaze with fireworks
The college chapel and church bells were
ringing and the whole town was wild with ex-
citcment. President Dwight threw his hat in
the air and waved his cane with delight when
he heard the news. The victorious crew ar
rived at l l 80 o'clock and were lifted to the
top of Tally-h ho coach which their enthus-
isstic associates had provided Headed by a
band and several thousand people the crew
were driven to the campus where large fires
were kindied and fireworks discharged until
morning. During the march of the process
sion President Dwight was serenaded and
notwithstanding ha lateness of the hour he
appeared ana congratulated the crew in a ten
minute speech.
WAJI SrRGEr TAIN